Crustal Structures of the Northernmost South China Sea: Seismic Reflection and Gravity Modeling

The South China Sea (SCS) is a marginal sea off shore Southeast Asia. Based on magnetic study, oceanic crust has been suggested in the northernmost SCS. However, the crustal structure of the northernmost SCS was poorly known. To elaborate the crustal structures in the northernmost SCS and off southwest Taiwan, we have analyzed 20 multi-channel seismic profiles of the region. We have also performed gravity modeling to understand the Moho depth variation. The volcanic basement deepens southeastwards while the Moho depth shoals southeastwards. Except for the continental margin, the northernmost SCS can be divided into three tectonic regions: the disturbed and undisturbed oceanic crust (8–12 km thick) in the southwest, a trapped oceanic crust (8 km thick) between the Luzon-Ryukyu Transform Plate Boundary (LRTPB) and Formosa Canyon, and the area to the north of the Formosa Canyon which has the thickest sediments. Instead of faulting, the sediments across the LRTPB have only displayed differential subsidence offset of about 0.5–1 s in the northeast side, indicating that the LRTPB is no longer active. The gravity modeling has shown a relatively thin crust beneath the LRTPB, demonstrating the sheared zone character along the LRTPB. However, probably because of post-spreading volcanism, only the transtension-shearing phenomenon of volcanic basement in the northwest and southeast ends of the LRTPB can be observed. These two basement-fractured sites coincide with low gravity anomalies. Intensive erosion has prevailed over the whole channel of the Formosa Canyon.     

The Agulhas Ridge, South Atlantic: The Peculiar Structure of a Fracture Zone

The Agulhas Ridge is a prominent topographic feature that parallels the Agulhas-Falkland Fracture Zone (AFFZ). Seismic reflection and wide angle/refraction data have led to the classification of this feature as a transverse ridge. Changes in spreading rate and direction associated with ridge jumps, combined with asymmetric spreading within the Agulhas Basin, modified the stress field across the fracture zone. Moreover, passing the Agulhas Ridge’s location between 80 and 69 Ma, the Bouvet and Shona Hotspots may have supplied excess material to this part of the AFFZ thus altering the ridge’s structure. The low crustal velocities and overthickened crust of the northern Agulhas Ridge segment indicate a possible continental affinity that suggests it may be formed by a small continental sliver, which was severed off the Maurice Ewing Bank during the opening of the South Atlantic. In early Oligocene times the Agulhas Ridge was tectono-magmatically reactivated, as documented by the presence of basement highs disturbing and disrupting the sedimentary column in the Cape Basin. We consider the Discovery Hotspot, which distributes plume material southwards across the AAFZ, as a source for the magmatic material.     

Bragg resonant reflection of carrier waves composing wave groups

Numerical analyses for the Bragg resonant reflection of carrier waves associated long waves due to sinusoidally varying seabeds are performed by using a set of coupled ordinary differential equations derived from the Boussinesq equations. The Boussinesq equations are firstly approximated with the Fourier decomposition. The coupled governing equations are then derived and used to simulate evolution of both short and long wave components. It is also found that wave groups are generated by two carrier waves with slightly different frequencies. The wave energy of the initial wave components is transferred to other harmonic components during propagation over a long distance. Evolution and reflection of both short and long waves were largely affected by nonlinearity.     

Spectral line profile variations in the γ Doradus variable HD 164615: non-radial pulsations versus star-spots

High-resolution spectral data of the Fe  II 5318 Å line in the γ Doradus star HD 164615 are presented. These show systematic changes in the spectral lineshapes with the photometric period of 0.8133 d which are modelled using either non-radial pulsations or cool star-spots. The non-radial modes that can fit the lineshape changes have m degree of 2–4. However, only the m = 2 mode seems to be consistent with the amplitude of the radial velocity variations measured for this star. The star-spot model, although it can qualitatively fit the lineshape changes, is excluded as a possible hypothesis on the basis of (1) poorer fits to the observed spectral line profiles, (2) an inability to account for the large changes in the spectral linewidth as a function of phase, (3) a predicted radial velocity curve that looks qualitatively different from the observed one, and (4) a predicted photometric curve that is a factor of 5 larger than the observed light curve (and with the wrong qualitative shape). Finally, a 'Doppler image' (assuming cool spots) derived from a sequence of synthetic line profiles having non-radial pulsations results in an image that is almost identical to the Doppler image derived for HD 164615. These results provide strong evidence that non-radial pulsations are indeed the explanation for the variability of HD 164615 as well as the other γ Dor variables.     

Further constraints on variation of the fine-structure constant from alkali-doublet QSO absorption lines

Comparison of quasar (QSO) absorption-line spectra with laboratory spectra provides a precise probe for variability of the fine-structure constant, α , over cosmological time-scales. We constrain variation in α in 21 Keck/HIRES Si  iv absorption systems using the alkali-doublet (AD) method in which changes in α are related to changes in the doublet spacing. The precision obtained with the AD method has been increased by a factor of 3:     . We also analyse potential systematic errors in this result. Finally, we compare the AD method with the many-multiplet method, which has achieved an order of magnitude greater precision, and we discuss the future of the AD method.     

康普顿化的计算-推广的Kompaneets方程与Monte Carlo方法比较

在X射线天文学以及辐射物理学中,当硬X射线穿过" 冷"的等离子体时所发生的Compton软化是一种重要的辐射转移过程.简要介绍推广的Kompaneets方程,该方程在hv〈mec2及kTe〈mec2较宽松的条件下广泛成立,因此不仅能处理Compton硬化过程,而且也适用于Compton软化过程,后者在目前快速发展的X射线和γ射线天文学中十分重要.基于此方程,我们对天体物理中4种常见辐射谱(Gauss型发射谱线、黑体辐射谱、幂律辐射谱和热轫致辐射谱)在Compton软化情况下的谱演化进行了数值求解,并同Monte Carlo模拟结果做比较,证实了推广的Kompaneets方程的正确性和有效性.最后指出此方程在X射线天文学和γ射线天文学中的重要意义和潜在应用.     

Analytical solutions for saturated P cygni type profiles II: General case

As in the first part of the present study (Sapar et al., 2002) we use the β-law for velocity of stellar wind and the Sobolev approximation for radiative transfer. Here we have succeeded to derive general and relatively simple analytical formulae in elementary functions for saturated P Cygni type line profiles if parameter 2β is arbitrary positive integer (in the first part we studied the cases 2β ≤ 4). The four terms obtained describe contributions to the line profile due to isotropic and anisotropic parts of optical thickness in the source function of the light-scattering layer followed by isotropic and anisotropic parts of multiple scattering. The limits of acceptability of the Sobolev approximation for β-law have been discussed and specified. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The southern active-chromosphere star HD 6628

The star HD 6628, heretofore classified as a G5 subgiant, is shown to be a chromospherically active single-lined spectroscopic binary with a period of 27.332±0.008 d. From high-resolution spectra, the system is found to consist of a late F-type dwarf and an active G8–K1 bright subgiant, the latter having a rotation period of not more than 14.8±3.8 d derived from the width of metal lines. Further stellar and orbital parameters are derived and presented.